On whether she had heard from her uncle, she said, “Of course. I have a very close and supportive family, and they’re all very proud of me.”

The model also said, “My family’s always been into sports and so Sports Illustrated has always been in our house. So now to be on the cover of the swimsuit issue is such an accomplishment.”

When she found out that she was this year’s cover girl on “The Late Show with David Letterman” Monday, she said, “It was such a surprise. I’m so excited.”

“I’m just enjoying the moment right now because I’ve always wanted to be here but looking back at the past cover girls and seeing what they’ve done with their careers, I have high hopes for myself,” she added.

Rep. Upton, a Republican, is the chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce.